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The Defense Department is upgrading its military networks to increase its access to different types mobile technology. But many secruity experts say the gold standard for smartphones is still the Blackberry. Michael Brown is vice president of security product management and research for BlackBerry. On In Depth with Francis Rose, he explained the importance of mobile security for federal agencies.

The Defense Department says it's having success with a new data transparency effort that's designed to drive better business deals on sole-source contracts. Federal News Radio DoD Reporter Jared Serbu reports the initiative is designed to track all of its business arrangements with a certain vendor, so individual contracting officers can learn from past deals.

The U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations asked 31 acquisition experts to weigh in on how the Defense acquisition process can be reformed. Federal News Radio brings you some of the highlights.

To maintain readiness under current budget pressure, the Defense Department needs to have a long-term mindset and rethink their force structure, according to Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.), chairman of the House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee.

Capitol Hill turns to an array of outside groups for advice. The deadline for
comments to the Armed Services committees was last Thursday. One set of recommendations comes from the Aerospace Industries
Association. Betsy Schmid is VP of National Security and Acquisition Policy for the
AIA. She's also former staff director of Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on
Defense. MJ Mitchell is AIA's managing assistant VP for National Security and
Acquisition Policy, and former chief financial officer of the F-35 program. The two
explained AIA's approach to acquisition reform on In
Depth with guest host Jared Serbu.

First there were surges to Iraq and Afghanistan. Now, there's a surge coming to America. Tens of thousands of new veterans are expected to return to the workforce or to college in the next several years as the military downsizes after wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The challenge now is to help them find jobs and make good on promises to pay for their education.

The Senate Intelligence Committee decided Thursday to release parts of a heavily challenged, secret report that harshly criticizes CIA interrogation tactics after 9/11. This action sets up what could be the broadest public accounting of the Bush administration's record when it comes to waterboarding and other ``enhanced interrogation techniques.'' The panel voted 11-3 to order the declassification of almost 500 pages. The White House said it would instruct intelligence officials to cooperate fully.

175 Marines are headed to a Romanian base near the Black Sea bringing the number of troops in DoD's Europe-based Crisis Response Force to 675. This deployment in the region comes as the Ukrainian government frets about what Russia is going to do next after annexing the Crimean Peninsula. The team, headquartered in Moron, Spain, was set up principally to respond to crises in Africa.

The Pentagon says there were no U.S. military deaths in Afghanistan in March. The Associated Press is reporting that it was the first zero-fatality month there since January 2007. American casualties in Afghanistan have declined as the number of U.S. forces has grown smaller and their role has shifted away from combat. U.S. troops are focused on training and advising Afghan forces. The Pentagon says there are about 33,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, down from a 2011 peak of about 100,000.

The Navy's Commander for the Mid-Atlantic region has ordered additional screening of all delivery drivers presenting the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC), before an individual is granted access. Security personnel will now check the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) data for any criminal history or outstanding warrants that are grounds for denial in accordance with Navy Region Mid-Atlantic access standards. Those standards include felony convictions within the last ten years; misdemeanor convictions within the last five years for crimes of violence; larceny; drugs; habitual offenders; and conviction for sex offenses. The change was ordered following the March 24 shooting death of a Sailor by a civilian truck driver aboard the Navy destroyer, USS Mahan (DDG 72), moored at Naval Station Norfolk.